Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive type of prostate cancer, according to a statement from his personal office on Sunday. The diagnosis was made after a small nodule was discovered on Biden’s prostate during a physical examination earlier this month, which required further evaluation.
The statement released on Sunday detailed that Biden had been experiencing increasing urinary symptoms, leading to the discovery of the prostate nodule. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which was characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) and had metastasized to the bone. Despite the aggressive nature of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. Biden and his family are currently reviewing treatment options with his physicians.
Biden, 82, was deemed “fit to serve” by his longtime physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, in February 2024. This followed a routine examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center when Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee. In July, after Biden withdrew from the presidential race, O’Connor stated that the former president’s health was “excellent.”
The news of Biden’s diagnosis comes amidst allegations that the Biden administration and his inner circle knowingly concealed his physical and cognitive decline from the American public. According to a new book titled “Original Sin” by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, there were serious discussions about Biden using a wheelchair during his second term in office if he won the election.
The cancer diagnosis was announced just two days after Axios released audio from a series of interviews Biden held with special counsel Robert Hur in October 2023. These interviews were part of an investigation into classified documents Biden allegedly had in his possession. The White House had previously refused to release these recordings, which reportedly showed Biden slurring his speech and struggling to remember details about his own life.
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. It is estimated that approximately 80% of men in their 80s are affected by this disease, as per the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Dallas.